Steve Lopez demonstrates once again why he is one of my favorite local journalists.
Today he reports on a recent westside bike ride--along one of my own usual routes from Santa Monica to Playa del Rey--with former LA mayor Richard Riordan and actor-activist Ed Begley, Jr.. The bottom line: the bicycle really can save us all, and the biggest barrier keeping greater Los Angeles from becoming a cycling mecca is not a lack of facilities (bike lanes and the such) but simply a lack of awareness and determination on the part of the region's residents. The time for excuses is over. Just get on your bike and ride!!
OK, it's not quite that simple, but it is more a personal responsibility than a societal one. While I certainly would welcome more bicycle-friendly facilities--such as the cheap but highly effective "sharrows" idea (
website 1,
website 2)--there is no reason to allow the status quo to keep you from riding. The trick and the challenge is that you need to appreciate that bicycle riding, particularly alongside traffic on city streets, is very much an art and skill that one needs to consciously develop through study and practice. It is
not the case that "once you learn how to ride a bike, you never forget," because none of us ever finish learning how to ride a bike. Be humble and appreciate how you can always become a better (not just fitter) cyclist, and never forget that, on the one hand,
- the roads belong to bicycles no less than cars and you must never shy from asserting your rightful place on the road--you're a human-powered vehicle, not a wheeled pedestrian;
but on the other,
- in a physical confrontation between car and bike, you lose, so temper your assertiveness with proactive, defensive caution.
In short, riding your bike effectively on city streets requires balance, both literally and figuratively. Be assertive, but not aggressive. Be confident, but not arrogant. Demand and command respect, but return that respect as well. Don't be timid, but don't be foolish either.
While controversial in some circles, transportation engineer and cycling advocate John Forester has long shaped my philosophy about riding bikes on city streets. Through careful consideration and countless hours and miles of experience, I am convinced that his is the right approach:
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